9 June 2011: The Representative of the Trade Mission of Taiwan provided a loan of US$500,000 to the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies for the implementation of regional projects under the Regional Development Assistance for 2010/2011.

The loan will cover 15 projects implemented by CROP agencies. It will cover the implementation of regional projects in areas of education, data and information management, marine pollution, fisheries, capacity building and training, renewable energy, waste management, pollution and activities related to the smaller island States programme.

This year’s assistance will support the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Pacific Power Association (PPA), the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Pacific Islands Applied GeoScience Commission (SOPAC) and The University of the South Pacific (USP). [PIFS Press Release]